Can anyone identify these mushrooms?

[mrstorey]

These are growing in my back garden in Hertfordshire - it's quite shaded and surrounded by a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees.

Link to pics

They're quite young specimens - I'd say no more than a week or so old.

Can anyone help me work out what they are?

Thanks

Michael.

 

[xylaria]

It is very difficult to ID a fungi without a good look at the mature gills.

There appears to be web like vail between the stem and the bottom edge of the gills, so it is likely that the fungi is from the numerous cortinarius group. This group contains some very toxic fungi and very few members are known to be eaten. When mature they have brown gills and mid-brown spore prints, the vast majority of edible species are from groups where the spore print brown-black or white.

 

[mrstorey]

Ah, you're a star. Thanks so much for taking the time to look at the pics and give such a detailed analysis. I've added another picture into the gallery which might help you see the gills and the veil you talk about, but I'm not going to take any chances... they're definitely not going in my cooking pot!

Cheers,

Michael.

 

[xylaria]

Still none the wiser. The gills look like they will darken off,but to what I'd be guessing. There are other fungi such as honey fungi that can be web like underneth. You touch even very toxic fungi, in fact I can sort of guess if very young fungi are cortinarius by sniffing them. They can sort of smell like a sack of coal or citric acid.

 

[mrstorey]

Morning. New pics in my gallery of said mushrooms, which have grown hugely in the past week. Any thoughts now?

http://tinyurl.com/2o4lca

 

[xylaria]

Pholiota gummosa grows on grassy soil close to trees on the roots, in tufted groups. the gills darken after opening to redish brown before which they are yellowish white.

Pholiotas are the look dodgy look-a-like of honey fungus as the gills can be quite pale even when open.

 

[mrstorey]

Just looked it up online. Pholiota gummosa looks like a match with the ones in the garden. I'm *very* impressed, Xylaria, but then with a name like that, I oughtn't to be surprised, hey?

Thanks again for the spot-on identification - may your next basket overflow with penny buns...